As Uttar Pradesh hit a fresh peak of 15,000 new COVID-19 cases in a day, the government has issued elaborate guidelines to manage the spread of the pandemic.
No sports, educational, entertainment and cultural programmes conducted in a closed space will have more than 50 per cent occupancy. Even this occupancy will be capped at 50 people with face masks, sanitisers, thermal scanning and distancing being mandatory. For open spaces, this has been capped at 50 per cent of the total area, but not more than 100 people. At religious places outside containment zones, no more than five people at a time are to be permitted.
This will have a heavy impact on weddings, which are to start this week as the Hindu new year kicks in.
In districts where there are more than 100 cases in a day or where there are 500 active cases, night curfew is to be implemented from 9pm to 6pm. Many districts in the state, including Lucknow and Varanasi, have night curfew in place.
Government orders also call for strict mask usage and that all police personnel have to always be in masks and gloves.
Public address systems are to be put to use to not only enforce COVID-19-appropriate behaviour but also to spread awareness about the vaccine.
To control spread from state-bound travellers, provisions for thermal scanners and antigen testing, and RT-PCR testing if the need arises, are to be made at all railway stations. The special trains that were run pre-Holi have upped the number of carriers and thus the available facilities at stations have to be bolstered.
In wholesale markets (mandis), shops have to be opened alternatively and from 7am to 7pm. Trucks have been permitted to ply, with administrative authorities ensuring that there are no hiccups from 4am to 8pm.
The services of home guards, civil defence teams, National Cadet Corps and the like have to be taken to help in COVID-19 management. Fire engines shall be pressed into sanitisation work in all districts.
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Educational institutions and coaching classes have been suspended till April 30 though where examinations are ongoing, these shall be conducted as per schedule.
The rapid surge in the number of cases and the deaths thereon have prompted the civic authorities to set up 20 more spaces for the cremation of COVID-19 patients.
